The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated from a cross pollination of the seed parent, an unpatented variety of Canna generalis known as ‘Dawn Pink’ with the pollen parent, an unpatented proprietary selection of Canna generalis referred to as ‘C0451’ directed by the inventor in June of 2005. The crossing was made in Lox, Fla., in the client's nursery.
‘LEESHECAN01’ was discovered by the inventor, Leeann Shearouse, in April 2006 in Lox, Fla., at her own nursery among seedlings resulting from the 2005 crossing.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEESHECAN01’ was first performed in Lox, Fla., at a nursery by vegetative divisions in October 2006. ‘LEESHECAN01’ has since produced at least four generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.